David kahnweiler



(No Model.)

" D. KAHNWEILER.

LIFE RAFT.

No. 421,578; ZPatentedFeb.18,189o.

N. PETERS. Phnwumognphur. washington. D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID KAI-INVEILER, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

LlFE-RAFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,578, dated February 18, 1890.

Application iiled October 26, 1889. Serial 110.328,332.i (No model.)

.T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID KAHNWEILER, a resid ent of the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented Improvements in Life-Rafts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of liferafts in which tubes or cylinders are used to support or buoy up the framework or platform of the raft, and it has for its object to connect the frame-work or platform of 'the raft with the tubes or cylinders in such Inanner that said tubes or cylinders will not be injured or permitted to leak by their connection with the frame-work or platform.

The inventionconsists in the novel details of improvement and combinations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, wherein- Figure lis a plan View of a life-raft embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line la k, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line c c, Fig. l; and Fig. 4t is a detail view of the end of one tube or cylinden The letter A in the accompanying drawings indicates a tube or cylinder of ordinary constrnction,preferably tapering at both ends, and adapted to float upon the water. The tubes or cylinders A may be provided with several air-tight compartments if desired;

Fig. l shows two tubes or cylinders A as being used to constitute a complete life-raft. Between these two cylinders A is a suitable framework or platform B, to which said tubes or cylinders are secured. I-Ieretofore the tubes or cylinders have been secured to the framework or platform by means of bolts or the like secured to and projecting from said cylinders, or by angle-irons connected to said cylinders by rivets or the like; but I find with said constructions that through rust or wear from shocks or the like the bolts become loosened from the cylinders, or water is per mitted to pass into the cylinders around said bolts, whereby the usefulness of the'liferaft is greatly diminished. By my invention I connect the cylinders A with the framework or platform B by means of clamps, so that I totally avoid the 'use of bolts or angle-irons that are riveted to the cylinders.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the sides ofthe frame-work B or the cross-beams B2 thereof that come against the cylinders A are curved or hollowed out, as at a, to tit the curves of the cylinders, as shown. y

D are bands that are placed on the outer sides of the tubes or cylinders A, diametrically opposite the curves d of the frame-work B, and these bands on the opposite cylinders are connected together by means of cross-rods or the like E, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. By this means the tubes or cylinders A are held as in a clamp between the frame-work B and the bands D. There may be several bands D, as shown, for each cylinder, the opposite bands being connected together above and below the framework Vby the rods or the like E. I prefer that the rods E be screw-threaded at their ends and provided with nuts b, whereby the parts may be firmly clamped together and any looseness taken up as it may occur.

In order to additionally strengthen the parts, I prefer to place longitudinal bars F 4along the sides of the cylinders, which bars are secured to the bands D, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. I pass the bolts or rods E through the bars F on the upper and lower sides of the cylinders A, as well as through the bands D, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the whole structure is materially strengthened.

By the above arrangement of parts it will be seen that no rivet-holes are made in the cylinders for the purpose of connecting them to the framework, they being merely held to the frame-work by clamps or pressure, so that danger of their becoming injured through strain onV the bolts or the connections between the cylinders and the framework 1s overcome.

In order to prevent the bands D at the vends of the cylinders slipping off the same, or, In other words, to prevent the rcylinders becoming disconnected from the frame-work of the raft by slipping between said frame-work and the bands, and to prevent the necessity of securing the bands to the cylinders by riv ets, or the like, I place the ends of the cylinders within the tapering or .cone-shaped cap d, as shown in Figs. l and 4. By this means a shoulder or projection e is formed on the outer sides of the Cylinders, whereby longitudinal movement of the cylinders Within the frame-Work and bands is prevented; but the tubes or cylinders may be expanded at their ends, if preferred, to prevent, in connection With the Clamping' -bands D, sliding movement of the tubes A, in manner similar to the shoulders e. Of course the cap or cover d Will be riveted to the cylinders, as shown; but these rivets, it will be seen, do not act in any manner to connect the cylinders with the frame-work, and therefore no strain Comes upon said rivets.

To addition ally strengthen the parts of the framework, I connect the upper and lower cross-rods E, about midway of their length, with the frame-Work or platform B, by means of tie-rods f, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In said figures the tie-rods f pass through crosspieees g, that are on the inner side of the planks or bars 7L of the frame-Work B, the outer Vends of the tie-rods f being turned around the bars E, as indicated; but, if preferred, the bars E on the upper and lower sides of the life-raft could be connected by a single tie-rod.

z' are oarlooks carried on the rods f and the frame-Work B, for use in propellingl the life-raft. .I are l'ife-1opes suitably7 connected with the life raft, as shown. The bars F2,

parallel with the bars F and secured to the 2. The tubes or cylinders A, and the frame-4 work B between them, combined with the clamping-bands D on the outer sides of said cylinders, rods E, connecting the clamps on the outer sides of the opposite cylinders, the longitudinal bars F, placed on the cylinders and traversed by the rods E, and the tierods f, connecting' the rods E with the frame B, substantially as described, and for the pu rpose specified.

DAVID KAHNWEILER.

IVitnesses:

G. Y. RENSHAW, MAURICE BLOCK. 

